The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is calling on residents of Mpumalanga conserve water as dam levels show a slight decline.
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According to the Department’s latest State of Reservoirs report dated 14 July 2025, the province’s average dam levels have dipped from 99.0% to 98.9% in the past week. This trend of declining water levels is also evident in the province’s two Water Management Areas (WMAs), prompting renewed appeals for responsible water use.
The latest DWS State of Reservoirs shows that the average dam levels in the Mpumalanga Province recorded a slight drop from last week’s 99.0% to 98.9%. Water levels also continue to drop in the Water Management Areas (WMAs) with the Limpopo-Olifants WMA dropping from 94.3% to 94.1% and the Inkomati-Usuthu WMA dropping from 98.3% to 98.2%. I
n terms of water levels in the three districts of the province, Nkangala remained unchanged at 100.3% whilst Ehlanzeni and Gert Sibande recorded declines, dropping from 96.5% to 96.4% and 99.6% to 99.5%, respectively. The listed dams in the Lowveld and Ehlanzeni District recorded mixed results with slightly more dams remaining unchanged in water levels and the rest recording declines. The dams which recorded unchanged levels include Buffelskloof Dam at 100.2%, Longmere Dam at 98.2%, Klipkopjes Dam at 96.1%, Witklip Dam at 100.2%, Primkop Dam at 100.4%, and Kwena Dam at 100.2%. On the decline, Byderivierpoort Dam dropped from 100.0% to 99.4%, Driekoppies Dam from 93.3% to 93.1%, Da Gama Dam from 98.4% to 97.4%, Inyaka Dam from 98.4% to 98.2%, and Ohrigstad Dam from 76.0% to 75.4%. It was also a mixed bag in the Gert Sibande District with only Vygeboom Dam recording a slight increase from 100.0% to 100.1%. Grootdraai, Morgenstond, and Heyshope dams remained unchanged at 99.9%, 100.2%, and 100.3%, respectively. Declining in water levels, Nooitgedacht Dam dropped from 100.0% to 99.8%, Jericho Dam from 99.0% to 89.2%, and Westoe Dam from 90.7% to 89.6%.
The Department reminds all communities that South Africa is a water-scarce country, and every drop counts. Responsible water use, conservation, and the protection of our water resources remain critical to ensuring long-term water security for all. The Department urges the public to continue using water wisely and to adopt water-saving habits as a daily practice.
